UK Inmates Hack Computer Mice, PS3s to Charge Illegal Cell Phones

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The UK has a very different approach towards prisons than we do in the US. At least one facility offers amenities you won’t find at many hotels. HMP Addiewell located in West Lothian, Scotland supplies their prisoners with PS3 consuls and flatscreen TVs in their cells. Meanwhile, Law-abiding Me makes due with a standard Wii and just bought my very first flatscreen TV a month ago.

Such a sucker.

If I find out they have Netflix, I may be forced to head over to Scotland find some nice victimless crime to commit.

Despite the ability to lead a relatively connected lifestyle, there is still one-thing the inmates of Addiewell are not allowed: cell phones. But being that they are criminals, institutional rules don’t have the greatest influence over their actions.

Recently, authorities started to notice computer mice missing from prison classrooms and computer labs. But the missing peripheries weren’t being used for any kind of Oz-style shank, but rather being used by tech-inclined inmates as a makeshift charger to connect their phones to their PS3 consuls. Inmates connected the USB end of the mice into the PS3, and then splice the wires to attach directly to their contraband mobiles. And there you have a makeshift charger.

The prison has now taken precautions to keep all peripheries connected to computers.